When James awoke, he wasn’t lying on the cold pavement of the alley, crushed beneath the gleaming metal of Bus-kun. No, instead, he found himself sitting upright in what looked like the most absurd version of an afterlife office he could have imagined. It was as if someone had taken a DMV and mixed it with a fantasy library. Marble columns stretched into the distance, and bookshelves filled with glowing tomes lined the walls, but the bureaucratic soul-sucking energy was palpable.

Behind a grandiose desk, cluttered with scrolls and quills, sat a bored-looking angel wearing a white robe and gold-rimmed glasses. The angel was lazily flipping through a large book while occasionally sighing, as if being stuck in this job was even worse than working in James’s IT department. Above the desk hung a sign that read: "Reincarnation Processing Center – Now Serving #2357", but James didn’t see any lines. Just a glowing number on the wall that seemed to increment on its own.

He blinked, trying to gather his senses. “What… what just happened?”

The angel didn’t even look up from their book. “Ah, you’re awake. Welcome to the Reincarnation Office, where souls like yourself are processed and sent to their next life.” They waved a hand dismissively, still not meeting James’s bewildered gaze.

“Reincarnation…?” James repeated, feeling a surge of both disbelief and excitement. “Wait, am I dead? Was it the bus? I knew it! That bus was gunning for me!”

Finally, the angel looked up with a raised eyebrow. “Yes, yes. Bus-kun has a habit of finding souls like yours. Consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Only the destined few are chosen to be reincarnated in a new world with great powers.”

James’s heart leaped. “Wait, reincarnated? You mean, like… an isekai?” His voice hitched with disbelief and excitement, visions of all the anime and games he’d spent years watching and playing flashing through his mind.

The angel nodded slowly, as if dealing with an overeager child. “Yes, exactly. You will be transported to a magical world, one full of adventure, danger, and the chance to grow stronger. Think of it as a second chance, a chance to become something greater than you were before.”

This was it. This was exactly what James had dreamed of! All those years spent daydreaming about adventure, imagining himself as the hero of a fantasy world, had finally come true. “Oh my god… I’m going to be an OP protagonist, aren’t I?” he whispered to himself, barely able to contain his excitement.

The angel gave a small, tired smirk. “In a manner of speaking, yes. You’ll have a special power or ‘affinity’ unique to you, and the strength to overcome great challenges. But before we proceed, there’s paperwork.”

James’s excitement faltered. “Wait, what?”

The angel snapped their fingers, and a glowing clipboard appeared in front of James, filled with a bewildering number of forms and checkboxes. “First, you’ll need to sign off on your death, Bus-kun’s hit was very clean, no loose ends, and then we can customize your appearance and skill set for your new life.”

“Paperwork? I didn’t think this part was in the isekai deal,” James muttered, but he reached for the glowing pen and started signing where the angel pointed. Each form vanished in a puff of golden light as he completed it. As tedious as it was, the sheer excitement of being reincarnated kept him moving forward.

“Alright, let’s talk about your new appearance,” the angel said, pulling out a scroll. “Since this is a fresh start, you’re allowed to choose how you’ll look in this new world. And, of course, you’ll receive a few special bonuses for being part of the elite chosen few.”

James’s eyes lit up. “You mean, I don’t have to be… well, me?” He gestured to his doughy, unshaven reflection in the glossy surface of the angel’s desk.

“Exactly. You can design your new self. Height, muscle tone, hair color, magical abilities, weapon proficiencies, you name it.”

This was better than any character creation screen James had ever seen. “Okay, okay, I want to be… tall. Really tall. Like, six-foot-three. Muscular. Like, shredded abs and bulging biceps. Oh, and no beard. Clean-shaven, but with spiky red hair. You know, something that makes me look cool. And glasses… wait, no, no glasses. Perfect vision.” He grinned at the possibilities, barely containing his glee.

The angel scribbled notes, not looking particularly impressed, but nodded as the list grew. “Very well. Now, for your affinities, you’ll be granted two magical elements as part of your starter kit. They’re chosen at random, though there’s a chance of… rare combinations.”

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James could hardly breathe as the angel waved their hand, conjuring two glowing symbols in the air. One symbol flickered like a roaring flame, while the other crackled with blue electricity. “Congratulations,” the angel said. “Your affinities are fire and lightning. Both powerful, if you learn to control them.”

James’s grin grew wider. “Fire and lightning? That’s, like, the coolest combo I could’ve hoped for!” He could already picture himself as some kind of flame-wielding lightning sorcerer, blasting enemies left and right, basking in his OP glory.

“Careful with your confidence,” the angel warned, looking stern for the first time. “Just because you have powerful affinities doesn’t mean you’ll know how to use them properly. This world has its challenges, and you’ll need to train hard to survive.”

James nodded eagerly, not really listening. His mind was filled with visions of his new, heroic self, handsome, muscular, a master of fire and lightning. He was ready. So ready.

“Your preparations are complete,” the angel said, rolling up the scroll. “Good luck, James Porter. May your new life be full of adventure… and may you not blow yourself up in the process.”

Before James could ask what that meant, the room began to shimmer. His vision blurred, and the Reincarnation Office faded away, replaced by the vibrant sights and sounds of a bustling medieval city.

James had made it.

He was in a new world.

James blinked as the world around him came into focus. Gone was the sterile afterlife office, replaced by a bright, bustling medieval town that looked straight out of a fantasy novel. The sun shone high in the sky, casting warm light on the cobblestone streets lined with colorful merchant stalls. The buildings were tall and rustic, made of stone and wood with thatched roofs. In the distance, he could see the grand silhouette of a towering castle, its spires piercing the sky.

For a moment, he just stood there, taking it all in. The sights, the sounds, the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air, it was all so real. His heart pounded in his chest, not from fear, but from excitement. He had really done it. He was in another world!

“Oh man… this is incredible!” James muttered, looking down at himself. He was no longer the pudgy, unkempt guy he’d always known. Instead, he was the tall, muscular version of himself that he’d imagined during his character creation session. His spiky red hair caught the sunlight, and when he flexed his arms, he could actually feel the strength in his muscles. No gut, no glasses, no double chin. He was… hot.

James grinned and took a step forward, reveling in the feeling of being so much lighter and more agile than he’d ever been before. His clothes had changed too, he was now wearing a sleek, black tunic with silver accents and sturdy boots. A small bag hung at his side, which, if RPG logic held true, probably contained basic supplies.

As he walked down the street, people moved around him, busy with their day. Some were merchants calling out to potential buyers, others were adventurers clad in armor, discussing their next quest. He even saw a few elves and beastkin mixed into the crowd. It was like stepping into one of the many fantasy worlds he had spent hours playing in his old life.

“This is insane,” James muttered, shaking his head. “I’m really here.”

But just as he was beginning to feel confident, the reality of his situation hit him. He had no idea what to do next.

James paused in the middle of the street, his excitement faltering for a moment. Sure, he was in a magical world now, and he had fire and lightning magic at his disposal, but where was he supposed to go? Did he join a guild? Take on quests? Did he need money? What if there were rules he didn’t know about?

As he stood there, overthinking his next move, a nearby merchant gave him a warm smile. “New in town, lad?” the man asked, holding out a small loaf of bread. “Here, on the house. You look like you could use a snack.”

“Oh, uh, thanks!” James said, taking the bread with an awkward smile. The man went back to his stall, and James held the bread in his hands, feeling oddly touched by the gesture. Maybe things wouldn’t be so hard after all.

That’s when James made his first mistake.

Eager to impress himself (and, possibly, the crowd around him), he decided to test his newfound fire magic. After all, it was supposed to be one of his main abilities, right? What better way to get used to this new world than by casually heating his bread with a little magic?

James held the bread out in front of him and focused. Fire magic should be easy to control, right? He just needed to think about heat, visualize a small flame, and,

FWOOSH!

The loaf of bread burst into flames in his hands. Not a small, controlled flame either, it was a full-on fireball that exploded from his palm, sending him stumbling backward. The bread was instantly incinerated, leaving nothing but ash floating in the air.

“Ahhh!” James yelped, frantically patting his hands and waving at the smoke. Nearby, several passersby jumped back in surprise, staring at him as though he were some kind of maniac. A few adventurers paused, exchanging glances and chuckling.

“Oh… crap,” James muttered, looking at his now-singed hands. “Okay, maybe I need to practice a little.”

The merchant, who had kindly offered him the bread moments earlier, stared at the pile of ashes in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape. James could only offer a sheepish grin as he quickly walked away, hoping to avoid any further embarrassment.

“Great job, James,” he muttered to himself, glancing down at his hands. “You’ve been in this world for five minutes, and you’ve already blown something up. Maybe I should stick to lightning magic next time. Fire’s… a bit much.”

Just as he was trying to figure out what to do next, something caught his eye. Or rather, someone.

A figure stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, their face hidden in shadow. Cloaked in dark, flowing robes, the figure’s presence felt ominous, almost like they were watching him specifically. James’s heart skipped a beat as the figure tilted its head, as if assessing him.

Before he could react, the figure disappeared into the shadows, leaving James with a sinking feeling in his gut. Who were they? And why were they watching him?

“Well,” James muttered, trying to shrug off the unease. “That was probably nothing… right?”